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We're talking about the census today? >>We're talking about the census, required every 10 years by the Constitution of the United States of America.
>>How is this possibly interesting to students? What is it about? >> Excuse me! So, in the Census,
obviously, the government measures population changes,
um, studying these population changes is known as demography, and, the country's demography directly affects democracy, and that's why it's relevant.
>> Okay, so every 10 years, they go around counting where everybody is, >> Right. >> Where everybody lives. >> Right.
>> How does that impact policitics? What happens as a result of that in politics? >> Okay, well, so as, the Census has learned that people are continuing along certain trends,
and one of those trends is that Americans are moving south and west. So, a state like Texas, which had the biggest gains in population over the past decade,
um, Texas gained 4.3 milion residents. And so, every 10 years then, the number of representatives to the House of Representatives in Congress is reallocated based on those numbers.
So, Texas gained four seats in the House of Representatives, based on its gain in population.
>> All right, so because of that, uh, shift to the south and the west, we have a kind of a power shift going to the south and the west a little bit right?
>> Right.
>> More people from Congress are going to be coming from the area.
>> Exactly. So, so there's going to be more representatives represent, trying to represent those states' interest in the House.
As you know, in the Senate, every state has two senators, so that doesn't change.
>> Okay now, we got numbers going that direction. Tell me about what those numbers look like? I mean, uh... in terms of ethnicity and race.
>> Okay, so, so, um... the Census also asked people to identify their race. And this Census was really interesting because it allowed people to identify more than one race; two, three, even four races.
So what the Census determined is that as an ethnic group, Hispanics are um...increasing in number more than any other group,
and so this relates to democracy and political parties, and candidates, if there is such a thing as Hispanic interests
in a community, then candidates running for office are going to make sure to include those in their platforms, because they know that population is growing and probably voting
um, and, also, in terms of all non-white ethnicities, um, we're growing in numbers at a rate that indicates that whites will no longer, caucasians will no longer have a majority of the American population,
probably in the next 30 years. So, pretty quickly, um, non-whites will outnumber whites in the United States of America.
People are moving more to the cities. Like there was an article in the Wall Street Journal about how people in this town, rural town in Kansas, were just tearing down empty houses because
nobody lives in that rural town anymore. They all moving to Witchita. So, as people move more to the cities, segregation lines are blurring, so, um, neighborhoods are becoming,
desegregated, you know, not by law, but just by virtue of the fact that's where the jobs are for everyone. And so, I think, gradually as neighborhoods become desegregated,
then more people will see an opportunity to run for office. And, I do see Congress, the look of Congress changing.
But another reason that it hasn't probably changed yet is incumbancy, right? Once you're in, as an incumbant running for re-election, you have so many more advantages.
than a brand new person, new to the political scene. >> It takes a long time for them to catch up.
>> So, there are several factors that a political scientist should look at to...>> Okay, at this 2010 census unfolds, and all the demographists....well the number counting has changed, what should students look for?
>> Well, I'd like students to think about that question about Congress, and what is important to truly represent somebody's interest? I mean, we're democracy, all of our representatives are supposed to do just that, represent our interests?
So, does that mean they should be representatives in terms of race, or age, or gender? Or, can a wealthy, white male represent the interests of a growing, you know, Hispanic, Asian, African-American, second-generation American culture?
I mean, what do students think about that?